Restaurant review: Cosmopolitan Grill

Cosmopolitan Grill’s menu of American-style food is pricey but tasty.

Photo: Catherine Shu, Taipei Times

Cosmopolitan Grill has moved from Taipei’s Changchun Road (長春路) to Bellavita shopping mall’s food court, and while the new location is smaller, it still does a good job of replicating a New York-style grill, with a hardwood bar, leather seating and full selection of premium liquors on display.

The menu is pricey (steaks range from NT$620 to NT$1,360, while most hamburgers are NT$330 to NT$350), but filled with tasty, authentic American-style classics.

Starters include fried onion rings (NT$230), buffalo chicken wings (NT$280), quesadillas (NT$260 to NT$320) and nachos (NT$360). All of these are included in the US combo sample (NT$620), which is stocked with enough appetizers to serve up to three people. My favorite was the quesadilla, which was stuffed with chicken and cheese.

The fried onion rings were also very good, with a breading that was crispy and not greasy. On the other hand, the nachos were just chips covered in melted cheese and served with salsa prepared with so much lemon juice that it was very tart. The ample portion of buffalo chicken wings included five meaty drumsticks, but the sauce was just a bit too sweet. On a separate visit, my companion and I split an order of potato skins (NT$260), which were stuffed with mixed cheese, bacon and spring onions. They were good, but the topping was too oily.

The champ (NT$280) is Cosmopolitan Grill’s basic burger and comes with onion, lettuce, tomato, mayo and a side of fries. The beef patty was thick and juicy, the vegetables fresh and crispy and the lightly toasted bun not too sweet. The grilled Cajun fish sandwich (NT$220), which featured a thick, tender slice of John Dory fish and is served with spiced mayo, was also excellent. My companion, however, was disappointed with his Philly cheese steak (NT$280). It had the classic combination of beef, grilled onions and cheese on a long roll, but the cheese was used so sparingly that the entree could be more accurately described as a plain steak sandwich.

Cosmopolitan Grill

Address: B2, Bellavita, 28 Songren Rd, Taipei City (台北市松仁路28號B2)

Telephone: (02) 8729-2737

Open: Sunday to Thursday 11am to 10pm, Friday and Saturday 11am to 10:30pm

Average meal: NT$400 to NT$900

Details: Chinese and English menu, credit cards accepted

Most of Cosmopolitan Grill’s menu is filled with indulgent dishes, but calorie-conscious diners have several options. The Cosmo shrimp cocktail is NT$360 for eight of the shellfish served with cocktail sauce, while the Cobb salad (NT$330) is large enough to eat as a light main course. Grilled seafood combos and chicken (NT$480 to NT$720) are also available.

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